


All is Calm, All is Bright

by ChelleLeigh1917



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:29:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleLeigh1917/pseuds/ChelleLeigh1917
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She found Richard standing near the Christmas tree, which he'd turned back on. Hours earlier the sparkling lights had entranced little Ned, and perhaps Richard hoped they would lull the baby to sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All is Calm, All is Bright

The nursery was dark, Anne glanced up at the ceiling looking at the stars on the ceiling as she rocked her baby boy. Ned was fussy tonight, so fussy. Every single time Anne thought he was almost asleep, and got up to place him back into his crib; he would start crying again. She'd nursed him, thinking that would help, and for a few moments it had. She was starting to think he just did not want to be alone tonight. She softly hummed to him as she rocked.

Glancing up, Anne saw Richard standing in the doorway. "You should be asleep." She said softly. She could forego sleep to stay up all night with their boy, she was on maternity leave. But Richard could not, after all he had to work in the morning. 

Richard smiled softly. "I thought I heard him crying." 

She smiled ruefully. "Probably." She said softly. "Ned's very fussy tonight."

"Let me take him." Richard said softly, moving over to her. 

Quietly Anne handed Ned over to him. Their little boy was almost asleep, and as Richard took him into his arms, Ned opened his eyes. "Shhhhh." Richard said softly. "This is not play time, it's sleep time." He placed Ned on his shoulder and started to walk around the nursery with him. 

Anne straightened the camisole she was wearing, and pulled her robe more around her shoulders. She watched quietly as Richard walked with their little boy, his voice soft and soothing. Anne had spent many restless nights while pregnant with Ned, and Richard's voice had always been able to soothe her. She only hoped he was able to do just as well with their boy. She nodded as Richard indicated he was going to walk around their flat with Ned. 

Several minutes later, she went out into the living room. She found Richard standing near the Christmas tree, which he'd turned back on. Hours earlier the sparkling lights had entranced little Ned, and perhaps Richard hoped they would lull the baby to sleep. 

"You'll find your mother loves Christmas." Anne heard Richard say softly to Ned. "All the decorations, all the trappings, she simply loves it. The tree, the carols, the eggnog, sometimes even the fruitcake. She just loves it." He laughed very softly. He shifted Ned in his arms, kissing the top of his head. "Personally, I look forward to see Christmas through your eyes when you're just a little bit older." He softly continued. "Running to see what Santa has brought you on Christmas morning, waking us up very early on Christmas to open presents." 

Anne almost laughed at that. Last year, which had been their first Christmas as a married couple, she'd been the one to wake Richard early on Christmas morning for presents. Of course, they'd certainly not gotten out of bed as quickly as she would have liked. They'd ended up late for the holiday gathering with Richard's family, and she could still remember Edward and George teasing Richard about their tardy arrival. She couldn't complain though, in her heart Anne believed their little Ned had been conceived that morning. 

"I believe he's asleep." Richard said softly, when he saw Anne standing in the doorway. 

Anne smiled softly. "Oh, he made me think that a few times. Then when I tried to place him in the crib, he'd cry." 

Richard leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "We'll see. Why don't you go to the kitchen and make some hot chocolate. I'll join you after putting him down." 

"You're not sleepy?" Anne asked softly. 

"No." He shook his head. "And I can tell you aren't either." 

"True." Anne said softly turning to go into the kitchen. She was putting the marshmallows into their steaming cups of hot chocolate by the time Richard came into the kitchen. She leaned back as his arms went around her waist.

"He's asleep." Richard murmured. 

"You must be a baby whisperer or something." Anne laughed softly. 

Richard laughed softly, moving so they were standing side by side. "Perhaps." 

Anne entwined her hand with his. "Oh, you are." She said softly. 

"And you are very beautiful." He said softly. 

Anne looked over at him, and laughed softly. "These days? Seems I barely have time to take a shower before you're home." She couldn't remember the last time she'd really fixed her hair or put makeup on. 

"You're always beautiful." He said softly. "And you're taking care of our son, I don't care if you're always wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants, you should be comfortable." Then he smiled and whispered to her. "Of course, I quite like you in a pair of yoga pants." 

Anne couldn't help but laugh softly at that. "Yes, you do." She agreed. 

Richard gazed softly at her for a moment before picking up the remote to their stereo system. Almost immediately the sound of the song they'd danced to at their wedding filled the room. 

He laughed softly, holding his hand out to Anne. "Do I want to know why you've been listening to that?" He said softly as Anne placed her hand into his. 

She laughed. "Dancing around the room while holding Ned." She said as they started to slowly dance. 

"I would have liked to see that." Richard murmured. 

"I am sure you will sometime." Anne said softly, laying her head against his shoulder. 

The next morning, Anne found their discarded mugs of hot chocolate on the counter. She couldn't help but smile as she emptied their contents into the sink and placed them in the dishwasher. Marriage wasn't always about the big things, it was about million little things; like dancing with your husband at 2 am because you've both been up with your three month old son, and aren't ready to sleep yet, making love at 3 am because you're still not ready to sleep, then groaning when the alarm goes off at 7 am because you've only been asleep for three hours. That was what marriage was all about.

**Author's Note:**

> This story was inspired by this quote from tumblr: 
> 
> I wonder what its like to slow dance with your boyfriend in your kitchen at 2 am to your favorite song in your pajamas
> 
> A huge thanks to the lovely elizabeth-karenina, because her tags on the quote really inspired this fic. Hope you like it!


End file.
